Christmas Card 2022

January

We find our post-holiday rhythm in the cold temperatures and snowy weather. Most Saturdays Debbie would go cross-country skiing at a local park while the kids napped. As we continued to work on our addition, Michael added new gas lines in the basement and installed a new hot water heater (exciting stuff to homeowners!). On those few days without a stove, Debbie perfected her crockpot cooking – she even made some bread in it! Debbie began training for a half marathon which kept her busy (and warm) through the first few months of the year. We worked hard not to get cabin fever by having fake birthday parties and playing in fake sand, baking, trips to Lowe’s, and short snowy walks.

February

Short February days bring preschool, watching our amaryllis grow, cold days working in the addition, visits from Grammie and Boompa, snowshoeing, picnics in the living room, visits to the library, and celebrating Valentine’s day. On the extra cold days, Michael set up the bike trainer up in the addition so Debbie could train for her half marathon.

March

A faint whiff of the hope of spring. Family snowshoeing, date night snowshoeing, muddy boots. We finally open the old house into the addition. Lots of running for Debbie, made possible by Michael manipulating his work schedule to accommodate daytime running. Margo turns 2! More playing outside and riding strider bikes. Trips to Syracuse for family and sushi. Many trips to Lowe’s. We begin work on the landscaping. Trips to Laing Family Farm begin with touring their sugar house. In the end, Debbie misses her half marathon due to a stomach bug.

April

On Sunday afternoons we would explore to get us out of the house and keep us sane. Debbie begins learning about beekeeping. Bike walks, spring hikes, and Easter egg hunts. Michael gets the new half bath ready for use. Road trips to Westtown: visits with Grandma Ruth, goats and family, as well as more easter egg hunts. We planted new trees to replace some old maples we had taken down. Debbie and Michael took a quick trip to Cornwall for their 5th anniversary.

May

Always more hiking (Coney Mountain) and bike walks. Painting rocks, picking daffies, and more playing outside are all toddler favorites. Weekly visits to Laing Family Farm begin for the summer. Lots of picnics in the sunshine, playing in the sandbox and trips to the beach. More landscaping: laying out the sand for our back yard. Michael began hanging and mudding sheetrock. Then lilacs, longboarding, ice cream, riding on mini trains, and we finished putting out topsoil in the back yard. We took a mini vacation to St. Albans, Vermont: playgrounds, Kil Kare State Park, a quick trip on the Amtrack Vermonter, more playgrounds, kayaking, bike ride on the causeway, and ferry rides.

June

Finally some warm day for making donuts on donut day, visiting a quilt show in Clayton, still running from time to time, Simon’s birthday (hence the dinosaur piñata), a visit to the wild center with extended family, a hike along stone valley, Simon’s birthday party, and cooling off at peepoday on the warmest of days. A quick trip to DC: mini trains, carousels, a visit to the national zoo (where margo smashes her lip) sushi, a trip to a fun pool. Then Father’s day with Grammie and Boompa, we get bees at Laing Family Farm, more birthday parties with family, jet-skiing fun, and more bike walks.

July

July brings more work days on the addition, with breaks for fun jet-skiing in Waddington. Debbie enjoys taking care of her flower garden. She runs an impromptu 5k in Potsdam where Michael and the kids can cheer her on from their front porch. Another trip to Westtown for Debbie’s birthday, where we get to eat cupcakes and help Grandma Ruth in her vegetable garden. Michael installs an air conditioner system for the house.

August

August brings snack on the porch, work days, adventures to Burlington with the best, homemade sushi and ice cream from the *new* stewarts, another smashed lip for Margo. Adventures with friends and family to lake clear, bike rides, adding concrete, playing at cousins house were all hi-lights.

September

September was BUSY! Adventures at Brant Lake: bike rides, playing, golf karts, beach time, celebrating Uncle Timmy’s birthday, trains. When we got home we had our first day of preschool, harvested some honey, and attended a local family wedding. Then off to Maine: legos for the first time for Simon, lots of walks on the beach, lobster rolls, trains, donuts, mini trains, parks with a view, a friend’s wedding and sushi. We came home to Michael beginning his new job, apple picking with friends, doing school, making candles with our beeswax, a visit to Syracuse for a housewarming party, and making wreaths with our grapevine.

October

As the days began to cool off, we had more work days on our house, marshmallows by the fire/river, homemade applesauce, apple picking with family, pumpkin painting, date nights bike riding, hikes at the VIC, hikes up Azure Mountain, mountain biking with the kids, and giving out candy on halloween.

November

A large portion of November was spent fighting off RSV. Then the master bedroom was painted and carpeted, and the laundry room got flooring and a countertop. We got our first snow of the season, which the kids enjoyed. As soon as we were better, we went on adventure: to Westtown with one flat tire along the way, off to NYC for one night, up to Syracuse for Thanksgiving with family and then home.

December

December promises still more addition work as we enter into holiday season. The kids are loving the Christmas lights and thoughts of presents, cookies, and time spent with family.

As we reflect on the past year, we are amazed by how truly blessed we are. Our hope is that, by sharing a snapshot of our lives with you, you will be blessed too and understand our thankfulness to a God who loves us and provides richly with love, joy, and peace.